[CALIBK12] Support the SKILLs Act

Wed Jul 18 11:10:55 PDT 2007

I sent mine and will follow-up with a print copy....
Thank you Karen for such a great letter, by seeing an example it made is
so much easier to put my letter together...
Let's all hope that Washington hears our voices and responds!!!
Andrea

Andrea Stephenson, MA-LMT
Children's & School Services Manager
Lincoln Public Library @ Twelve Bridges
485 Twelve Bridges Drive
Lincoln, CA  95648  

"What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels
about education." - Harold Howe, former Secretary of Education

"I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness
about the underpinnings of our culture, and our concern for the future
call all be tested by how well we support our libraries." - Carl Sagan,
Scientist (1934-1996)

"Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that
of an ignorant nation." - Walter Cronkite, Newscaster (1916 -     )
-----Original Message-----
From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
[mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of SIMINITUS,
JACQUELYN E (ATTPB)
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 8:58 AM
To: Karen Andresen; CALIBK12
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] Support the SKILLs Act

I agree with what Connie said earlier -- that it is a good idea to also
send a print copy of your letter .

Why not include your Support the SKILLS Act letter inside a thank you
note card or other non-standard envelope?  Or, consider adding a
newspaper clip about how kids these days are not reading -- and point
out that the discussion never includes what is obvious to school
librarians -- that too many schools are not investing in strong school
library programs. 

Best wishes.
- Jackie
CSLA 2.0 Team, project manager

Jackie Siminitus, MLS 
Library Advocate, AT&T California 
795 Folsom Street, Room 517-N1, San Francisco, CA 94107 
415-644-7112 : jacquelyn.siminitus at att.com 
AT&T Knowledge Network Explorer, www.kn.att.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
[mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of Karen Andresen
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 8:48 AM
To: 'CALIBK12'
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] Support the SKILLs Act

Okay, I finally sent mine. I copied all the ideas into Word, made a
letter,
and then cut and pasted it into our two Senators and my Representative's
web
pages. That goes very quickly. Karen
Karen Andresen 
Library Media Teacher 
Petaluma Junior High School 
700 Bantam Way 
Petaluma CA 94952 
(707) 778-4724 
kandresen at pet.k12.ca.us

Dear Representative Woolsey,

     Please support the SKILLS Act by co-sponsoring H.R. 2864. The
SKILLS
Act requires school districts, to the extent feasible, to ensure that
every
school within the district employs at least one highly qualified school
library media specialist in each school library. As the library media
teacher at Petaluma Junior High School, I strongly support this bill.	
	Multiple studies have affirmed a clear link between school
library
media programs that are staffed by a school library media specialist and
student academic achievement.  Across the United States, research has
shown
that students in schools with good school libraries learn more, get
better
grades, and score higher on standardized tests. Only about 60 percent of
school libraries nationwide have a full-time, State-certified school
library
media specialist on staff, and it is far less than that here in
California.
	Libraries like mine are no longer just for books. Instead, they
have
become learning environments offering a full range of print and
electronic
resources that provide equal learning opportunities to all students. I
have
been trained to collaborate with teachers and engage students with
information that matters to them. I purchase books that encourage
students
to read for pleasure
	Because NCLB does not highlight the direct correlation between
school library media specialists and increased student academic
achievement,
library resource budgets are increasingly being used to mitigate the
effects
of budgetary shortfalls. Way too many of our students who do arrive at
our
best colleges and universities arrive inadequately prepared to conduct
college-level research because they graduated from high schools without
assignments or instruction in research and information literacy skills. 
	Thank you for your consideration of my request.
	Sincerely, Karen Andresen

-----Original Message-----
From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
[mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of SIMINITUS,
JACQUELYN E
(ATTPB)
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2007 8:48 PM
To: CALIBK12
Subject: [CALIBK12] Support the SKILLs Act: Co-sponsors needed for S.
1699and H.R. 2864.
Importance: High

Who has sent letters to their Congress persons so far?

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